Stick String and Safety Pin


It was a very good year
At the time

Barely fourteen
I rushed after class
My job awaited
Nickel a hook
My independence
Attaching the fly
Wrapping the cinch neck
Knotting the hold
Gaze held at close attention
Learning barbs have little patience

Line up their curvatures
Package them neat
Respect their dignity
No gloves
Bare skin risking
Gambler in training
Learning rudiments
Boss man said

They’ve but one purpose
They fulfill without question
Willing once
Willing twice
Ready to arc
For that next chance
Keen to challenge depths of tenacity

Touch down
Skitter not
Ballet the bob and weave
Hold tight the cat gut line
Temp the temptress
Swim the course

First lessons learned

School completed
The call of the wild
Gone the wrist and finger finesse
Gone the whip and place
K to twelve’s grace and modesty
Now history

Cast adrift

I lowered myself
Into the chasms deep
Monster fish to bait
Darkest hole
Biggest catch

Hooks in my eyes
Hooks in my smile
Hooks with my handshake
Slips
Rips
Trips later
Harpooned a mermaid

Yet
Quiet waters raged
Barbed kisses snarled my tether
Dragged me mercilessly deep
Held me tight
Dragged my naive cautions to the bottom
Held me tight
Rapped
Tangled
Hooked me
To the dark
Anchored my ignorance to drown

Then

Not-so-very-good-years later
Much later
Consciousness returned
Light pierced the fathoms dark
Early lessons whispered again

Nothing takes its place
Those fly-hook lures after school
Where blackboard logic
Ceased to be
Fishin’ hole wisdom
Came front and center
Eager to tell me
Hooks grow larger
Fear graduates into rapids
To rip and tear
Until lesson learned

Beware the mermaid

Before suffering
Takes its limit

If you’re lucky
Stick
String
And safety pin
Become your simple friends

Again